Acanthurus guttatus

The whitespotted surgeonfish (Acanthurus guttatus) is deep-bodied and laterally compressed. The basic colour is grey which darkens towards the posterior and the body is liberally spotted with white. There is a band of white just behind the eye stretching from the operculum to the nape of the neck. Another white band encircles the fish just behind the yellow pelvic fins. The other fins are dark coloured except for the rather small caudal fin which is half pale yellow and half black. The dorsal fin has 9 spines and 27 to 30 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and 23 to 26 rays and the pectoral fin has 17 to 20 rays. The fish grows to a maximum length of 26 cm (10 in).